Drapery or curtain mounting



M y 9, 1956 G. F. M MURRAY DRAPERY OR CURTAIN MOUNTING Filed Jan. 26

INVENTOR. George Fredric Mc Murray United States Patent ,0

DRAPERY R CURTAIN MOUNTING George Fredric McMurray, Glendale, Calif.

Application January 26, 1953, Serial No. 333,072

7 Claims. (CI. 16-94) This invention has to do with a drapery or curtain mounting, and it is a general object of the invention to provide a simple, practical, improved structure of this general character.

Curtains or drapes are commonly mounted by means of slides supported by rails or tracks which in turn are connected to mounting brackets by pulley sets or holders. In practice, the tracks employed or available vary. as to size depending upon the service to be performed, and with the construction heretofore provided, the pulley sets or holders employed in connection with the tracks are varied in size or construction to accommodate the particular tracks employed. Further, when the ordinary construction is used, there is rather loose engagement established between the track that carries the slides and the holders or pulley sets that hold the track.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a construction characterized by pulley sets or holders supported by mountings and engaged with the end portions of a track and which provides for the use of a holder construction of a given size and form for varying tracks; that is, for both large and small tracks.

It is another object of this invention to provide a construction of the general character referred to wherein the track-engaging holder employed has a body slidably engaged with the track and has a lock or tongue projecting from the body and engageable with the track to hold it engaged with the body and against movement relative thereto.

It is another object of this invention to provide a holder of the character referred to adapted to receive a track and having a stop limiting engagement with the track holder and having a wedging engagement with the track so that it is held without working or shifting relative to the holder.

Another object of this invention is to provide a track holder of the general character referred to having a body adapted to be engaged in or to be engaged over the track depending upon the size of track employed and having stops, both internal and external of the body, whereby a track, whether engaged in or over the body, is limited in its engagement with the body.

It is another object of this invention to provide a track holder of the general character referred to having a body engageable on or over a track and carrying a tapered tongue which is deformable and adapted to be deflected either inwardly or outwardly relative to the body to frictionally engage the track engaged with the body.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of the invention, throughout which description reference is made to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the construction provided by the present invention showing hangers on a track supporting a drape, curtain and showing the track supported by a holder which in turn is carried by a suitable mounting bracket. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view illustrating the construction provided by the present invention showing a portion of the track with a slide thereon and showing a holder embodying the invention engaged around the track, the holder is in turn carried by a mounting bracket, parts of the structure being in section to show details of construction and being a view taken substantially as indicated by line 2-2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a track engaged around the holder as distinguished from being engaged in the holder as is shown in Fig. 2, the parts in Fig. 3 being shown in elevation. Fig. 4 is a detailed transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 4-4 on Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 55 on Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed transverse sectional view taken as indicated by line 6-6 on Fig. 3.

In the drawings, and particularly in Fig. l of the drawings, a structure embodying the present invention is shown applied to a frame or case A, and it is shown carrying a hanging in the form of a curtain or drape B. The structure as provided by the present invention includes generally an elongated rail or track C supported by holders D located at the ends of the track, and the holders in turn are carried by mounting brackets E. In the particular construction illustrated, the rail or track C carries slides F which receive or hold the hanging B. It is to be understood that the structure may in practice include a master carrier or other such means on the rail to handle a cord or cords required to operate the hangings carried by the structure.

The particular track C illustrated in the drawings is of standard or conventional construction and is an elongate C-shaped member characterized by a fiat vertical back wall 10, a top wall 11, a bottom wall 12 and a front wall having an upper and lower sections 13 and 14. The top and bottom walls 11 and 12 are joined to and continue from the back wall 10, and the upper section 13 of the front wall is joined to and depends from the top of the wall 11. The lower section 14 of the front wall projects up from the bottom 12. The sections 13 and 14 of the front wall of the track have spaced opposite edges 15 which are straight and parallel and which in practice are spaced a pre-determined distance apart through the length of the track. In the drawings, I have illustrated tracks of different size; that is, in Fig. 2 there is shown a small or light track whereas in Fig. 3 there is shown a large or heavy track. It is to be noted, however, that the two tracks are exactly alike except for size, each having or being characterized by parts such as I have referred to, and in each track the sections of the front wall are provided with edges 15, which are straight and parallel and which are spaced a predetermined distance apart.

The mounting bracket E, as provided by the present invention, may in practice be of any suitable form or construction. In the particular case illustrated, bracket E is characterized by a fiat base 20 applicable to the frame or case A, and it has an arm 21 which projects from the base to carry the holder D.

The holder D, as shown in the drawings, includes rollers adapted to accommodate curtainor drape-operating lines or cords G, and it is, therefore, in the nature of a unit ordinarily referred to as a pulley set. In accordance with the present invention, the holder D includes generally an elongate body 30 adapted to engage a track C, an elongate pulley case 31 joined to and projecting from the body 30 at one end thereon and a head 32 on the pulley case at the end thereof opposite the body and adapted to engage or be connected with the arm 21 of the mounting E. The body 30 of the holder is characterized by flat vertical side walls 40 which are 3 suitably spaced apart and which are connected by a top wall 41 and by a bottom wall 42. The top and bottom walls 41 and 42 are curved, and the assembly or combination walls 40, .41 and 42 forms aunit adapted to be. slid over a small track such. as is illustrated in Figs. 2 and and adapted to be slide into a large track such as is illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6. In the particular case illustrated, the holder D is formed of a single body or sheet of metal, and at the body 30, the sheet forming the holder is shaped or formed so that a split or joint occurs at 45 and extends lengthwise of the body at the lowermost portion of bottom 42.

The pulley case 31, carried by and projecting from the body 34), is joined to one end of the body as an integral extension or continuation thereof, and in the case illustrated, it is characterized by spaced fiat vertical side plates 50. The side plates carry pivot pins 51 which support rollers 52 arranged between the plates 5%.

The head 32 of holder D is at the end of the pulley case 31 remote from the body 30, and in practice it is of any suitable form or construction, being provided merely as an element of the holder adapted to make suitable connection with the arm 21 of a mounting bracket E or the like.

In accordance with the present invention, the holder 1) is provided with a lock means whereby a track engaged with the body of the holder is set or locked relative thereto. In accordance with the invention, the lock means includes one or more tongues on the holder, and in the preferred form of the invention, it includes two like tongues on or carried by the body 36 of the holder. In the particular case illustrated, there are two like tongues carried by the body 30 and located at the end of the body remote from the pulley case 31, and these tongues 60 are carried by and project from the side wall 49 of the body 38. In carrying out the present invention, cuts 61 are made in the side walls 41 of the body 30 from the end 62 of the body, these cuts being of such extent lengthwise of the body as to form tongues 60 of the desired length. Further, in accordance with the invention, the cuts 61 are of such location and disposition as to establish tongues 60 which are alike and which are tapered or convergent so that they are narrower at their terminal ends 65 than they are at their anchored ends.

The tongues are so located in the side wall 40 of body 30 as to be opposite or in register with the opening or openings occurring between the edges 15 of the tracks engageable with the holder. The edges 15 of the large or heavy tracks being spaced apart the same as the edges of the small or light tracks and being located in like manner, a tongue 6% will register with the opening between the edges 15 of a track whether the track is engaged in or over the body of the holder, and since there is a tongue at each side wall of the body, there is a tongue in position to be engaged between the edges 15 of thetrack regardless of how the track is related to the holder; that is, regardless of whether the edges 15 occur at one side or the other of the body.

In accordance with the present invention, the tongues 69 are so tapered and related to the edges 15 of the track engaged with the body 30 that all edges of the tongue will frictionally engage the edges 15 of the track, upon the tongue being deflected from a normal flat position in the plane of its supporting side wall, and from the drawings it will be apparent that if the body of the holder is over the track, the desired frictional engagement is established by bending or deforming the tongue adjacent the edges 15 inwardly, whereas if the body 30 is within the track, the desired engagement is established by bending the tongue outwardly. By forming the holder D of a. suitable gauge of appropriate sheet metal, either tongue can be bent or deformed as required to establish the desired frictional gripping engagement between the 4 tongue and the edges of the track related to body of the holder.

In accordance with the invention, the holder is provided with stop means adapted to limit engagement of the track with the body of the holder whether the track be a small track or a large track. In accordance with the invention, a stop 70 is provided at the end of the body 30 that joins the pulley case 31, and this stop depends upon the top wall 41 downward and forward or toward the track and thereby establishes a V-shaped opening into which the end portion of the track engaged in the body 30 can be entered to establish a tight wedging engagement between the holder and track.

In accordance with the invention, a stop 71 is established by a depending tab provided on the bottom 42 of body 31 at the end adjoining the case 31. The tab 71 is formed with a V-shaped notch 72 adapted to receive the end of a track engaged over the body 30 so a wedging engagement is established between the holder and that track as shown in Fig. 3.

With the construction provided by the present invention, the holder D is easily and quickly applicable to a track whether it be a small track or a large track, and if it is a small track, the engagement is limited by the stop 70; whereas if it is a large track, the engagement is limited by the stop 71. With the terminal end of the track engaged and wedged tight by the stop that it contacts the tongue at the end of the body 30 remote from where the track is stopped may be deformed to wedge against and establish frictional engagement with the edges of the track and at that point stop working or movement as between the holder and the track. With the holder and track thus held or set against relative movement at longitudinally spaced points, a highly desirable and effective connection is established between the holder and track, and this relationship will continue until the structure is deliberately dismantled.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claims:

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a mounting bracket, a track holder carried by the bracket, an elongate track C-shaped in cross-section and having spaced parallel side edges along one side thereof, one end of the track being engaged with and carried by the holder, the holder including, a body with top, bottom and side walls slidably engaged around the track, a stop on the top wall of the body adapted to limit engagement of the track with the holder, and lock means carried by the body and engageable with the track, said means including a deformable tongue projecting outwardly from one side of the body and adapted to project through and frictionally engage the side edges of the C-shaped track.

2. In combination, a mounting bracket, :1 track holder carried by the bracket, an elongate track with a longitudinal slot-like opening and having one end engaged with and carried by the holder, the holder including a body with top, bottom and side walls slidably engaged with the track with the holder, and lock means carried by the body and engageable with the track, said means including, a deformable tongue projecting from one side wall of the body into said opening in the track and adapted to frictionally engage the portions of the track defining said opening, a stop depending from the top wall of the holder body and having an inclined part adapted to receive and have wedging engagement with the end of the track related thereto.

3. In combination, a mounting bracket, a track holder carried by the bracket, an elongate track with a longitudinal slot-like opening carried by the holder, the holder including a body slidably engaged over the track, a

stop on the holder body adapted to limit engagement of the track with the holder, and a fiat deformable tongue on the holder body adapted to be deflected inwardly relative thereto and into frictional engagement with the portions of the track defining the slot-like opening therein, the stop including a depending projection on the interior of the holder inclined relative to the track to enter the end thereof and to have wedging engagement therewith.

4. In combination, a mounting bracket, a track holder carried by the bracket, an elongate straight track with a longitudinal slot-like opening carried by the holder, the holder including an elongate body with curved top and bottom walls and flat side walls slidably engaged around the track, a stop on the exterior of the bottom wall of the holder to depend therefrom and having a part inclined relative to the track to receive the end of the track and to have tight wedging engagement therewith, and a flat deformable tongue on one side wall of the holder adapted to be deflected outwardly relative thereto to enter the said opening in the track and establish frictional engagement with the portions of the track defining the slotlike opening.

5. A holder adapted to support a tubular track having an elongate slot-like opening in one side thereof, said track holder including, an elongate body with curved top and bottom walls and flat side walls adapted to slidably engage the track, a stop projecting down from the bottom wall of the body and having a part inclined relative to the track to overlie the end thereof and to have wedging engagement therewith, and a flat deformable tongue carried by one side wall of the body and adapted to project laterally outward therefrom to enter the opening in the track and to frictionally engage the portions of the track defining said slot-like opening.

6. An elongate track holder including, a mounting head at one end, an elongate body at the other end with spaced side walls and adapted to slidably engage the track, and a flat deformable tapered tongue carried by each side wall of the body and adapted to project therefrom to extend through and to frictionally engage a track.

7. An elongate track holder including, a mounting head at one end, an elongate hollow body with flat spaced side walls at the other end and adapted to slidably engage a track, a stop in the body and having an inclined part adapted to have Wedging engagement with an end of a track, a stop on the exterior of the body and having an inclined part adapted to have wedging engagement with an end of a track, and a flat deformable tapered tongue carried by each side wall of the body and adapted to project therefrom, to project through and to frictionally engage a track.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,590,370 Bell Mar. 25, 1952 2,619,166 Graber Nov. 25, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 394 Great Britain of 1914 

